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The student news site of Portola High School

Portola Pilot

The student news site of Portola High School

Portola Pilot

The student news site of Portola High School

Portola Pilot

Social studies teacher Wind Ralston takes a photo with the girls' golf team to celebrate winning CIF Division 3. “He's always ready for the team whenever we need it,” sophomore Katie Le said. “If we have a question, he's right there ready to respond through text message or email.”

Wind Ralston Selected As Orange County Girls’ Golf Coach of the Year

Jana Malek, Staff Writer | January 25, 2023

Varsity girls' and boys' golf head coach Wind Ralston won the honorary award of Orange County girls’ golf coach following a successful season that included winning CIF. The honor is a testament to Portola...

Orange County boys' water polo coach of the year Kate Avery holds up her CIF Division 3 runner-up plaque.

Kate Avery Named Orange County Boys’ Water Polo Coach of the Year

Skyller Liu, Social Media Team | January 13, 2023

As the first woman to be awarded the title of Orange County boys’ water polo coach of the year, Kate Avery made history on Dec. 14 after leading the Bulldogs to the title of CIF Division 3 runner-ups...

Math and computer science teacher Katherine Dillon visits a waterfall in Ninghai, China, where she studied abroad, explored as a tourist and went on a business trip to. “I started traveling because my school had some international trips and being able to communicate with other people in a place where I couldn’t understand very much was really really exciting to me,” Dillon said.

Math and Computer Science Teacher Katherine Dillon Builds Unique Connections as a Five-Language Speaker

Maya Tedini | January 12, 2023

Language is a gateway to culture and connection. Math and computer science teacher Katherine Dillon’s experiences as a speaker of five different languages showcase just that. Dillon grew up in...

Beyond being able to help current students, alumna and Rice University freshman Claudia Lin said she was eager to participate in the project because she wanted to represent her school and demonstrate the importance of being open to different college experiences. “I remember when I was in high school, and I was just very nervous and very like anxious about what college would look and what the future would look like,” Lin said. “And especially during the college offseason, I was super anxious. So I guess I just wanted to show people that it's gonna be okay and at the end of the day, like, there are so many amazing schools out there, and it's not just limited to one.”

Alumni Network Connects Graduates and Students

Shaina Taebi, Centerspread Editor | January 12, 2023

The counseling department started a rolling project called the Portola Alumni Network on Oct. 26th. The project connects current students with Portola High alumni through social media videos on the Instagram...

Sophomore Viget Vuong folds craft paper to create part of his origami magic ball. For origami beginners, Vuong recommends reading origami books with instructions or watching videos online.

Sophomore Viget Vuong Finds Comfort in Origami

Cara Chan | January 11, 2023

The dinosaur’s legs are spread shoulder-width apart in a menacing stance — its fierce nature shows no sign of fear. But the creature’s strong build and elongated tail are in fact made from a...

How to Spend Second Semester as a Senior

How to Spend Second Semester as a Senior

Arshia Sista, Front Page Editor | January 10, 2023

Junior Liz De Maria practices playing her acoustic guitar at home after school. De Maria first began her journey with the ukulele, learning her first song, “Riptide” by Vance Joy, in under four days, according to De Maria.

Junior Liz De Maria Connects Philosophy and Music through Guitar

Arnav Chandan, Sports Editor | January 9, 2023

The warm serenades of the guitar and the profound ideologies of philosophy are two subjects that rarely intertwine. However, for junior Liz De Maria, discovering the hidden connections between these two...

A woman holds a sign saying “Keep Your Laws Off Our Bodies” advocating for abortion rights and access after the overturn of Roe v. Wade. Roe v. Wade was overturned on June 24, giving abortion access laws to the states instead.

The Most Important Events That Happened Last Year

Gwyneth Yung, Photo Editor | January 5, 2023

2022 was an exciting year, filled with ups and downs. This recap will discuss the most important events of this year.  January-March  The Russian government invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24, a significant...

Citizens in China have started to break down the ‘wall’ of censorship and political control the Chinese Communist Party has placed upon its citizens. Protests for the removal of Zero-Covid, and more importantly, Chinese President Xi Jinping, reveal a rising wave of young, political dissenters that will shape China’s future political sphere.

Protests in China Are Not about Zero-COVID; They Are About the Chinese Government

Michael Sun, Staff Writer | January 5, 2023

Protests surged in China following an Ürümqi apartment fire, which killed ten residents. The tragedy, which took place Nov. 24, is largely blamed on China’s faulty Zero-COVID policies, which may have...

Skiers often have a much more enjoyable experience on the mountain, effortlessly coasting down flat slopes, while snowboarders are left behind, often losing their balance. Falling on a snowboard can be extremely traumatic, especially when falling forward since both feet are attached to the board, according to snowboarder and senior Chris Lee.

Settling the Feud in the Snow: Skiing will Always Remain Superior

Mia Jong, Photo Editor | January 4, 2023

Like blades, the edges of my boots carve into the ice and snow, whipping up flurries of sparkling powder behind me. Electrifying air floods my lungs as I stop to stare down the face of the mountain. Then,...

Senior Charis Kim sketches her original characters Polaris and Aron as she experiments with different design options. Kim draws inspiration for her art from media she consumes, such as movies “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” and “The Mitchells vs. the Machines.”

Senior Charis Kim Artistically Expresses Herself Through the Creation of Original Characters

Sonia Wang, Staff Writer | January 3, 2023

With short brown hair, an orange laurel crown and a mysterious shadow, the character Polaris slowly comes to life under senior Charis Kim’s careful strokes. But Polaris isn’t just a character from...

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